{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1158753"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1158753/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB4044/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011FB4044/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011FB4044","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1158753/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1158753","accessionNumber":"S.169-2010","objectType":"Print","titles":[{"title":"H Beard Print Collection","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"Mezzotint depicting Barton Booth as Brutus and John Mills as the Ghost of Caesar in &lt;i&gt;Julius Caesar&lt;/i&gt;, ca. 1715.\r\n\r\nPrints of actors in role on stage are scarce before the mid 18th century, when William Hogarth realised the potential for marketing prints of his own paintings on theatrical subjects. This rare mezzotint published by Pierce Tempest (1653–1717) shows Barton Booth (1681–1733) as Brutus and John Mills (d. 1736) as the Ghost of Caesar, in the production of <i>Julius Caesar</i> performed at the Drury Lane Theatre. The play was enduringly popular: Booth had taken over the lead role of Brutus from Thomas Betterton in 1709 and continued to play it for the next twenty years. John Mills first appeared opposite him as Caesar in 1713, the beginning of a long association in which Mills later exchanged the role of Caesar for Cassius. \r\n\r\nThe mezzotint shows Shakespeare’s Act IV, scene iii, the eve of the battle of Philippi, when Brutus is visited by Caesar’s ghost. Brutus is already dressed in his armour; Caesar has a laurel crown and carries a torch illuminating the stab wounds on his torso. The antique Roman costumes are carefully recreated and illustrate the delight in classicism in early 18th century England.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Mezzotint depicting Barton Booth as Brutus and John Mills as the Ghost of Caesar in Brutus's tent. Brutus, in armour, is seated, left, and turns to look over his left shoulder at Caesar, standing right. Caesar's right arm is raised and he holds a flaming torch in his left hand. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"artist","id":"AAT25103"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Tempest, Pierce","id":"AUTH320699"},"association":{"text":"publishers","id":"AAT25574"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"printing ink","id":"AAT187371"},{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"}],"techniques":[{"text":"print-making","id":"AAT131119"},{"text":"mezzotint","id":"AAT53233"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Mezzotint","categories":[{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2011FB4044"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES356572"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1715","earliest":"1710-01-01","latest":"1719-12-31"},"association":{"text":"published","id":"x30682"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Harry R. Beard Collection, given by Isobel Beard","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"41.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"29.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Mezzotint depicting Barton Booth as Brutus and John Mills as the Ghost of Caesar in <i>Julius Caesar</i>, ca. 1715, Harry Beard Collection","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Booth, Barton","id":"N8143"},{"text":"Mills, John","id":"N11868"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Julius Caesar"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.169-2010"],"accessionNumberNum":"169","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2010,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-08","recordCreationDate":"2010-05-04","availableToBook":true}}